Mystery Books Read in November 2013
Here are the only two mystery books I read in November. Both were set in the 1930s, a period I love to read about. This post makes me almost done recording 2013!
1. ANGEL WITH TWO FACES by Nicole Upson (Fiction, Mystery, 1930s English setting) 
This is the second book in Upson’s series featuring real-life writer Josephine Tey. This second instalment finds Tey and her friend (but not more) Inspector Archie Penrose enjoying a week as guests at a country manor house during the actual four-year hiatus in between Tey’s first two novels.
The mystery was nothing special and ultimately forgettable. But I do enjoy the growing characterization of Tey and Penrose.
Read this if: you’re a fan of Josephine Tey. 3½ stars
2. ON THE ROCKS: a Willa Cather and Edith Lewis Mystery by Sue Hallgarth (Fiction, Mystery, 1930s American setting) 
Well, actually, this story is set on Grand Manaan Island which is really Canadian, but the holiday community, at least for the summer discussed, is composed of Americans.
On the Rocks can’t decide whether it’s a fictional mystery featuring American writer Willa Cather, or a non-fiction biography of Cather. It leans to the biography side which results in a complicated and nearly senseless mystery.
Read this if: you’d enjoy a fictionalized slice of Willa Cather’s life. 2½ stars
Note: I won a copy of On the Rocks from the publisher but this had no effect on my rating.
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I’ve read two of Nicola Upson’s books featuring Josephine Tey – but not this one. I have mixed thoughts about the ones I read, good and not so good – as you say for Angel with Two Faces – ultimately forgettable, and I’m not keen on mixing fact and fiction, strange really because on the whole I do enjoy historical fiction.
I haven’t read On the Rocks, but it doesn’t sound as though I would like it – much the same problem that I had with Nicola Upson’s books – fact or fiction!
I know what you mean, Margaret – I often (usually) feel that way myself. For some reason, I’m willing to overlook it for Upson writing about Josephine Tey.